Baby Banker

We haven't had any significant shortages recently. I am in the southeast.

Some of you have already specified this, but for those of you who require a current specimen for plasma, do you have the same policy for platelets?

We have two Helmer DH8 units. We love them. We are a level one trauma center and we have MTPs. Our thawers have always been able to keep up. In general, Helmer products are good.

I email them when I have a question. They have been very helpful.

Do you re-use them?

You should also address the zygosity of the cells used to rule out. Do you do selected cell panels where you use cells from different panels (after you've done a standard panel)?

Change Control started in Blood Bank in our lab, but now the whole laboratory uses the process.

We are on SafeTrace Tx version 3.13. We upgraded last June. Based on my experience with Haemonetics and other vendors, I don't think the FDA would allow a vendor to be ten years without an upgrade.

I wondered if you were testing fecal occult blood.

We use issue to mean dispensing the product to staff who will take it to the patient's location. We don't use the term collected except in the context of drawing specimens. I suspect this is a British English vs. American English 'issue.'

We have an anonymous phone line as part of our Corporate Compliance Department. You probably do as well.

As noted above, irradiation changes the product code. For example when E0226 is irradiated it becomes E0224. Our computer system changes the product code and prints the appropriate label. Irradiated is part of the description of the new product code and prints on the new label. The sticker you asked about is similar to one we used back in the 'Codabar Days.' However it does not suffice on it's own now.

We tube blood, but only to our CV Lab. We do a transfer in our BECS, which is SafeTrace Tx.

Pneumatic tube systems generally have a way to set a priority based on location. You should check to make sure carriers coming from the Blood Bank have the highest priority available.

I seriously doubt that I would be surprised either.

We do. We use plain clear zip lock bags. We have used biohazard bags in the past. We stopped because there was a concern that the patients might think we were giving them biohazardous units.

Looking back over, I realized that I did not specify that the patients I am talking about are the ones on chronic transfusion therapy and are transfused about every three to five weeks. They have all either had a stroke or have been identified as being at high risk for stroke.

We limit our matching to a group that is generally manageable. It has been some time ago since I looked at their recommendation, but the Sickle Cell Foundation was recommending matching further than we do. We do find that these patients develop 'warm autoantibodies' which I think are or may be a reflection of the myriad other antigens that we do not match. That being said, our practice has been successful in preventing stroke overall in a disadvantaged and usually overlooked (in my area) group of children. We have done a pretty good job of indoctrinating the patients and their families to get in touch with us when our patients go to another facility.

We do our best to avoid them having multiple antibodies by...wait for it...antigen matching. I agree with Ex-Limey that our sicklers who are prone to stroke have more than enough going on without having even a mild reaction. We have had a few patients with hyperhemolysis and they are the very devil to treat. The ideal would be to stop transfusions, but that is a very difficult decision to make with these patients. Also, since we are a pediatric facility, the family may decide to go elsewhere to continue transfusions.

We antigen match our sickle cell patients who are on chronic transfusion therapy for the five major Rh antigens, Kell, Fya, and Jkb. At least that is what we started with; it has grown from there. One of the issues we see in our area is that most of the units are from white donors. Most if not all of the new patients are typed and matched for V/VS and Jsa. These antigens are rare to non-existent in whites, but are found in a sizable percentage of blacks. So when you target black donors to be able to match the Duffy and Kidd antigens, you may be setting your patients up to make anti-V/VS and or anti-Jsa.

Being an assessor takes time and effort. However, if you are willing to put in the work, it is a good way to learn, and to get insight from another perspective.

We do exactly the same, excepting neonates and pre-surg patients.

I think the place to start is with the manufacturer. Look at the information provided with the product. If that does not answer your question, contact the company directly.

Is anyone aware of a pediatric institution which has a PBM program?

This is what we've always done. Are you familiar with the BloodTrak system? If so, what do you think of it? We don't have it, but the Blood Bank Manager put one in the budget.